Tattoos of Destiny
by Lumina0512
Summary: A series of 5 fluffy Fairy Tail oneshots. (modern AU) - Female reader X Various guys
1. Intro

Reader X Various guys– Tattoos of Destiny (Modern AU)

Everyone gets a tattoo on their neck that is the exact same as their soulmate. It always appears on a person's twelfth birthday. I am an exception. Mine never appeared on my twelfth birthday. That morning, I had jumped out of my bed. I couldn't wait to see my soulmate tattoo. But I didn't see it. I checked multiple times that day, but it never appeared. My parents tried to console me, telling me that maybe it would appear another day.

I am about to turn sixteen and it still hasn't appeared. These past few years, I have wondered if perhaps my soulmate doesn't have a tattoo either. But then there is also the possibility that I don't have a soulmate. I wear my favorite scarf everywhere all year long. I don't want anyone else to see that I don't have a destiny tattoo.


	2. Natsu

**Natsu**

Today is my sixteenth birthday. As I have the past three years, I head to a mirror to look at my neck. I never expect to see a tattoo, that way I'm not utterly depressed when I don't see one. With my heart already heavy, I look in the mirror. But then to my surprise, there is a tattoo on the right side of my neck. It is a dragon in flight. I joyfully tell my parents and show them. They cry tears of joy with me.

I head out to school. I still wear my scarf because it has become part of my image. The first few weeks I had worn my scarf, my best friends Lucy and Levy kept asking why I was wearing a scarf. After about a month, they finally gave up. On my way, I bump into someone else. My scarf gets pulled off as I fall. "I'm so sorry!" The person exclaims. I look up. It is a boy who's probably my age. His hair is the color of cherry blossoms in bloom and he has deep brown eyes. He also wears a scarf. The boy offers his hand. I grab it and he pulls me up off the ground. "It's alright. I wasn't paying attention to where I was going." I tell him as I dust myself off.

The boy kneels and grabs my scarf. While he is kneeling, I try to peek inside his scarf. But he stands back up before I can get a good look. "Here's your scarf." The boy says. "Thank you." I say as I take it back and wrap it around my neck once again. "Well, I gotta go or I'll be late to school again!" The boy shouts as he runs off. I check my watch. _Shoot! If I don't get to school soon, I'll be late! And that's never happened and I don't intend to start now._ I run off to school.

I can't focus on class because the boy keeps popping into my head. At lunch, Lucy and Levy sit down with me. Lucy has her blonde hair in a small side ponytail with the rest flowing downwards, but it doesn't cover her snowflake tattoo. Levy's unusual naturally blue hair is cut pixie-style and she has an orange ribbon pulling back her bangs. Her destiny tattoo is a dragon wrapped around a sword. My two best friends have already found their soulmates and are dating them. Lucy Heartfilia, a cheerleader, is with the school's cool guy, Gray Fullbuster. Levy McGarden, my bookworm of a best friend, her soulmate is Gajeel Redfox, the captain of the wrestling team.

Lucy and Levy have mischievous smiles on their faces as they stare at me. "What?" I ask. "You seem really happy today, (name)." Lucy says. "Really? I don't think I'm happier than usual." I respond, scooting my food around with a spoon. "You were also spacing out in class with this dreamy look in your eyes. You never do that, (name)." Levy tells me, pointing at me with her fork. I can't say anything because that is true.

"We knew it!" Lucy says. "Knew what?" I ask. "You had a special encounter today, didn't you?" Levy asks. I can feel my cheeks burning. "Not really. I bumped into some random guy on the way to school. My scarf came off when I fell. He helped me up, picked up and gave me my scarf, and then ran off." I say. "Was he cute?" Lucy asks. "Yes. He has hair that as pink as cherry blossoms and deep amber eyes."

"So, what's his name?" Levy asks. I think for a moment. "You know what, I didn't get his name." I say. "Well, anyway. It sounds like you met your soulmate finally, (name)." Lucy says. "Did you see his tattoo?" Levy asks. "No, he had a scarf on and he ran off before I could talk to him more." I say. "That's too bad. But if he's your soulmate, then you'll meet him again." Lucy tells me.

I take a different route home. I've taken this route past the park before. Sometimes I'll spend a little time in the park, other times I'll walk right past. As I walk by the entrance, I see a flash of familiar pink. Knowing my parents won't freak if I don't come home right away, I head into the park. I walk around the park trying to find the boy from earlier. After about an hour, I decide to give up and head home.

As I head to the entrance, I feel someone tap my shoulder. I turn around and find the pink-haired boy. "Hey there." The boy says. "Hello again, cherry blossom boy." I respond. "Cherry blossom boy?" He says with a raised eyebrow. "Well, I don't know your name and you have hair the color of cherry blossoms." I explain. "Oh. Well, my name is Natsu." "I'm (name). Pleased to meet you."

"So, what are you doing here, (name)?" Natsu asks. "I was taking a different route home. I happened to see you run by as I was passing the park. So, I came in here to look for you. I was just about to leave when you tapped my shoulder." I tell him. "Oh. I come here every day to play with the local cats, especially one particular cat." Natsu says. "I know about the local cats. Which one?" I ask. "Why don't I introduce you to him?" Natsu says. "Sure." I reply. My cheeks burst into flames when Natsu grabs my hand. He takes me over to where the cats congregate.

"That one." Natsu says as he points to his favorite. The cat has unusual blue fur and a white belly. He wears a green bandana. The cat notices us and plods over to us. "Hello there." I say as I kneel and scratch the blue cat's chin. The cat purrs contently and moves closer to me. "Happy really likes you!" Natsu says. "Happy?" I ask. "That's what I call the cat. He seems to be happy all the time, so I decided that should be his name." Natsu tells me. I look at the little blue cat. He does seem to be quite happy. "I think that's a very good name." I say. Natsu grins.

The sun is beginning to set. "Well, I should get home. My parents are probably wondering where I am at this point." I say. Happy looks at me sadly as I stop scratching him and stand. "I'll walk you home. If you don't mind, that is." Natsu says. "Not at all. It's getting late, so having someone with me would be nice." I respond. The two of us say goodbye to Happy and leave the park. Natsu walks next to me on my right.

A few minutes after we leave, I hear meowing behind us. I turn around and find Happy. "Happy, what are you doing here?" I ask the little cat. The blue cat comes over to me and I pick him up. "I guess he really likes you, (name)." Natsu says. "I guess so. I'm sure my parents will be okay with me bringing home a pet." I say. We resume walking, Happy purring contently as I hold him in my arm.

"So why are you wearing a scarf?" I ask. Natsu rubs the scarf as he replies, "It was my last gift from my parents before they died." "I'm so sorry. That probably brought back sad memories." I tell him. "It's okay. At this point, it brings back both sad and happy memories. The first few weeks after they died, I would lash out at anyone who mentioned them or asked about my scarf. It was three years ago." Natsu says. "It's good that you can remember the good stuff." I say.

"How about you, (name)? Why do you wear a scarf?" Natsu asks. I bite my lip as I think about how to explain. "(name)?" Natsu says worriedly. "You know about destiny tattoos, right?" I ask. "Yeah. Everybody gets theirs when they turn twelve. Why?" Natsu says. "Well, mine hadn't appeared on my twelfth birthday." I tell him. I hear Natsu breathe in sharply. "I was embarrassed and disappointed, so I started wearing a scarf. I didn't want anyone to see that I didn't have a destiny tattoo." I tell him.

"You're the first person other than my parents to know." I say. "I feel honored that you would tell me. So I'm guessing it still hasn't appeared?" Natsu says. "Actually, it finally appeared today." I respond. "Is today your birthday, (name)?" Natsu asks. "Yep. My sixteenth." I reply. "Cool. I also turned sixteen recently." Natsu says. "Really?" I ask. Natsu nods.

"So, what does your tattoo look like?" Natsu asks. "I'll just show you." I say. I remove my scarf and move my hair so he can see. Natsu gasps. "What?" I ask. "It's the same as mine." He says. "The same as yours?" I say. Natsu removes his scarf and shows me his neck. There is a dragon in flight on the left side of his neck. "Then that means…" I trail off. "We're soulmates." Natsu finishes as he wraps his scarf around his neck. We walk in silence.

"So, um… Would you… like to be… my girlfriend?" Natsu asks. A blush burns my cheeks. "Yes." I reply. Natsu reaches over and entwines his hand with mine. "I guess I'll introduce you to my parents when we get to my house." I say. "I would love that. And I'll introduce you to my older brother sometime." Natsu says. "And your father and mother. I want to meet them too." I tell him. "Sure, (name)." Natsu says, a gentle smile on his face.

 **-Six years later-**

Natsu and I have been married for a couple years now. Happy still lives with us. I recently found out we'll be having a baby. Natsu is excited and has been constantly worrying over me. While it is slightly annoying, I wouldn't change it at all because I love Natsu just the way he is.


	3. Laxus

**Laxus**

Today is my sixteenth birthday. As I have the past three years, I head to a mirror to look at my neck. I never expect to see a tattoo, that way I'm not utterly depressed when I don't see one. With my heart already heavy, I look in the mirror. But then to my surprise, there is a tattoo on the right side of my neck. It is a lightning bolt. I joyfully tell my parents and show them. They cry tears of joy with me.

I head out to school. I still wear my scarf because it has become part of my image. The first few weeks I had worn my scarf, my best friends Erza and Lucy kept asking why I was wearing a scarf. After about a month, they finally gave up.

After a few classes, it is lunchtime. I head towards the cafeteria. In the hall, I bump into somebody and fall to the ground. "Watch where you're going!" The person growls. I look up and see Laxus Dreyar, an upperclassman. He is the captain of the football team and the leader of the jocks. He had become bitter and angry when his mother died and his father disappeared shortly afterwards. Laxus lives with his grandfather, Makarov Dreyar. I get up off the ground. "Sorry." I say before scurrying past Laxus.

I get some food and then head to the table I usually share with my two best friends. I set my tray down on the table with a thud. "Goodness! What's the matter, birthday girl?" Erza asks. Erza Scarlet, a nice upperclassman, has long red hair and she's the lead cheerleader. Her boyfriend, Jellal, heads up the debate team. "I bumped into someone in the hall and fell down. I get that I should have paid better attention, but couldn't he have at least helped me up? And I was in such a good mood." I huff. "Oh? And what had you in such a good mood?" Lucy asks. Lucy Heartfilia is in my grade and she's also a cheerleader. Lucy is also the girlfriend of Gray Fullbuster, the coolest guy in school.

"Promise you'll keep it a secret." I tell my two best friends. Lucy and Erza look at each other and then back at me. "We promise." They respond. "My destiny tattoo didn't appear on my twelfth birthday. It finally appeared this morning." I tell them. "So that's why you were in a good mood." Lucy says. "What does it look like?" Erza asks. I pull down my scarf and show my friends. "It looks familiar but I can't remember who I've seen with it." Erza says. "How about you, Lucy?" I ask. "Same here." Lucy replies. I fix my scarf. "Well, no matter. My soul mate may not even live around here. It's not like Magnolia is a big town." I say. Our conversation turns to different subjects.

The school day is finally finished, so I start heading home. As I come out the doors, I'm grabbed and dragged to the side of the school. I'm thrown against the wall. I look up and see Bickslow, Freed, and Evergreen. They're Laxus's fans and self-proclaimed bodyguards. Bickslow is a member of the football team. Evergreen is a cheerleader. She dislikes that fact that Erza is the lead cheerleader and that dislike has transferred slightly to me because I'm friends with Erza. Freed is the head of the science club.

"What do you want?" I ask. "We heard about you bumping into Laxus this afternoon. And you didn't apologize." Evergreen says, her tone slightly angry. "I did say sorry!" I exclaim defensively. "Sorry isn't good enough," Bickslow tells me. "So you're going to get punished." Freed says. Freed grabs my scarf and pulls it off. He then tosses it on the ground and stomps it. "Hey!" I exclaim. Then Bickslow curls his hand into a fist. He lifts his fist to strike me. I squeeze my eyes shut as Bickslow's fist comes towards me.

"Hey! Stop that!" Someone shouts. I open my eyes and find Bickslow's fist less than an inch from my face. "Laxus!" Evergreen gasps. I sink to the ground. "What are you doing?" Laxus asks menacingly as he moves closer to us. "(name) bumped into you and didn't apologize properly and…" Freed stammers. "Did I say I had an issue with (name)?" Laxus asks. "N-no." The three stutter. "Then leave her alone and scram." Laxus growls. The three scurry off, apologizing the whole time.

Once the three are gone, Laxus turns to me and offers a hand. I grab my scarf and then hesitantly set my hand in his. He pulls me up from the ground. "You okay?" He asks, his voice unusually gentle. "Other than a bump on my head and my favorite scarf all muddied, yeah." I reply. "Let me check your head." Laxus says. "O-okay." I respond and then I turn. His fingers gingerly touch my head to move my hair. "I don't see any blood, so you should be okay in a couple days." Laxus tells me.

"I noticed your destiny tattoo." Laxus says. "Do you know if anyone has the same one?" I ask. "Yeah." Laxus replies. "Really? Who?" I ask. "Me." Laxus answers. I look at him with shock. Laxus slips off a sleeve of his coat and shows me his neck. Right there on the left side of his neck is a lightning bolt. "So... Now what?" I ask. "I guess I ask if you'll be my girlfriend." Laxus says.

An awkward silence settles between us. "Umm... (name), would you be my girlfriend?" Laxus asks shyly. "Yes." I reply. "That's great. And a plus is that those three won't bother you again." Laxus says. "Though they might become as fanatical about me as they are about you." I add. "I'll make sure to have a talk with them about that. I don't want them beating up people because they did something to one of us." Laxus says. "That's a very good idea." I tell him. "Well, I'll walk you home. In case those three decided to ambush you again on your way home." Laxus says. "Thank you very much." I respond.

 **-Eleven years later-**

"Theo, get down!" I yell at my three-year-old. I can't get him off the table because I'm holding Leah, his 7-month-old sister. "Theodore, listen to your mother." A male voice says. Laxus is finally home from work. Theo immediately climbs down. "Hello dear." I say. Laxus comes over and gives me a kiss. "I see our son is giving you trouble again, (name)." Laxus says. "He certainly follows the saying. 'Terrific two, terrible three.'" I respond wearily. Laxus bends towards the ground to look our son in the eyes. "Theodore, you need to listen to your mother all the time." He tells our son. "Am I clear?" He asks. Theo quickly nods his head. Laxus rubs Theo's head, saying, "Good boy."

Laxus stands back up. "And how is my little princess?" He asks, letting Leah wrap her chubby fingers around one of his. "She's been okay. But it's not like she can get in much trouble at her age." I say. "Well, I'll have to give you a little treat later for putting up with our children all day." Laxus whispers in my ear. My cheeks heat up. "Momma, why cheeks red? You sick?" Theo asks. "No. Momma's fine. Now let's go make dinner together." I say. "Yay!" Theo exclaims. "Come on, Daddy!" Theo says as he tugs on his father's hand. "Okay, okay. I'm coming." Laxus tells our impatient three-year-old. "Remember that Erza and Lucy and their families are coming over for dinner." I tell my husband. "Yes, dear. I remember." Laxus calls back. I smile a little bit. I love him so much.


	4. Gray

**Gray**

Today is my sixteenth birthday. As I have the past three years, I head to a mirror to look at my neck. I never expect to see a tattoo, that way I'm not utterly depressed when I don't see one. With my heart already heavy, I look in the mirror. But then to my surprise, there is a tattoo on the right side of my neck. It is a snowflake. I joyfully tell my parents and show them. They cry tears of joy with me. I head out to school. I still wear my scarf because it has become part of my image. The first few weeks I had worn my scarf, my best friends Lisanna and Erza kept asking why I was wearing a scarf. After about a month, they finally gave up.

I head to the cafeteria for lunch. In the hallway, I bump into someone and all my books fall to the floor. I haven't put them in my locker yet. I kneel to start picking them up. Then someone else bends down. It's Gray Fullbuster, the coolest guy in school. "Did I bump into you? I'm so sorry." I say. "It's alright." Gray tells me as he grabs some of my books. We stand up and Gray hands me the rest of my books. "Thanks." I say. "You're welcome," Gray responds, "Maybe I'll see you later." I head to my locker with a lightness in my step.

I get some food and then join my two best friends, Lisanna Strauss and Erza Scarlet. Their boyfriends and soul mates, Natsu Dragneel and Jellal Fernandes, are with them. Erza is the lead cheerleader and Jellal is the head of the debate team. They are both upperclassmen. Lisanna is in charge of the fashion club and Natsu is considered the hottest guy in school. They're both in my grade.

"Hey, (name), nice of you to finally join us." Natsu says sarcastically. "Natsu, be nicer. You know I consider (name) a sister." Lisanna scolds her boyfriend. "Sorry, (name)." He says. "It's okay. I bumped into someone on my way to my locker and I had to pick up all my books." I tell my friends. "Well, you're here now. And that's what matters." Erza says.

School is over, so I start heading home. But then several girls block my path. I recognize them as the girls that hang around Gray. I don't know why they do since they have destiny tattoos. "Hi, girls. Don't mind me. Just heading home." I say, hoping they'll leave me alone. One girl steps forward. It's Juvia Lockser, leader of Gray's "fan club". "You bumped into Gray this afternoon." Juvia growls. "I said sorry and Gray said it was okay." I tell the girl. "Don't care. You're going to pay for bumping into Gray." Juvia says. I start backing away as the group of girls comes closer. I hit a wall. I close my eyes and put my arms in front of me.

"Hey! What're you doing?!" Someone shouts. I open my eyes and breathe a sigh of relief. "Gray! This isn't what it looks like!" Juvia says, panicking. "Oh, really? Because it looks like a gang of jealous girls about to beat up one girl." Gray says. "Gray-" "Don't even. Scram and don't bother (name) again." Gray tells Juvia and the other girls in an icy voice. The girls quickly run away. I sink down against the wall and hug my knees. Gray walks over to me and offers his hand. I put my hand in his and he pulls me off the ground.

"Are you alright?" Gray asks. "Just frightened. You stopped them before they did anything. I don't what would've happened if you hadn't." I reply. Gray pulls me into a hug. "It's okay now." He says in a soft gentle voice. I start crying onto his chest. After a few minutes of crying, I pull away and wipe any remaining tears. "All good now?" Gray asks. "Yeah," I respond, "Sorry about soaking your shirt." "It's okay. It will wash out. Now I'll walk you home. I have a feeling those girls would try to ambush when I'm not nearby." Gray says. "Thanks. That's a big relief." I tell him.

The sun begins to set halfway into our walk. "I have a question." Gray says. "Go ahead." I tell him. "Why do you wear that scarf?" Gray asks. I bite my lip as I ponder whether I should tell him. "(name)?" Gray says. "Promise you'll keep it a secret." I say. "Uh... Okay." Gray responds. "My destiny tattoo didn't appear on my twelfth birthday. So, I've used this scarf to conceal the fact." I tell him. "Oh." Gray says. A silence settles between us.

"So, do you still not have one?" Gray asks. "Oh, no. It finally appeared this morning." I reply. "I guess I should tell you happy birthday then. May I see your tattoo?" Gray says. I unwrap my scarf, exposing my neck. "A snowflake. Just like mine." Gray murmurs. "Wait. Like yours?" I say. "Yeah. Here, I'll show you." Gray responds. He takes off his high-collared jacket and shows me the left side of his neck. There, the exact same snowflake stands out upon his pale skin. "Well, then I guess we're soul mates." I say. "I guess so," Gray says. "So, will you be my girlfriend?" "Yes." I reply. Gray smiles and says, "I'll walk you to and from school every day. My "fans" will be extremely jealous of you from now on." "Thank you." I tell him.

 **-Eleven years later-**

"Isa and Frey, get down from there!" I shout at my twins. I would pull them down if I wasn't holding my youngest, Lia. "Here, I'll get them." Gray says as he comes from the kitchen. He grabs our four-year-old twins and sets them on the ground. Then Gray kneels in front of them. "Isa, Frey, we've talked about listening," he says, "Do you like it when your mother yells at you?" "No, Daddy." Isa replies while her brother shakes his head. "Then don't do things you've been told you're not allowed to do and listen to your mother." Gray tells them.

Gray stands back up and gives me a kiss. He also gives our one-year old daughter a kiss. "I'm going to get back to making dinner." Gray says. "I wanna help!" Frey exclaims. "Alright. But you have to listen." Gray tells our son. Frey nods his head. The two head into the kitchen. "Isa, why don't we make some pictures for Uncle Natsu, Aunt Lisanna, Aunt Erza, and Uncle Jellal?" I say. "They coming?" My oldest child asks. "Yes, Isa. They're going to have dinner with us." I reply. "Yay!" Isa exclaims excitedly.


	5. Gajeel

**Gajeel**

Today is my sixteenth birthday. As I have the past three years, I head to a mirror to look at my neck. I never expect to see a tattoo, that way I'm not utterly depressed when I don't see one. With my heart already heavy, I look in the mirror. But then to my surprise, there is a tattoo on the right side of my neck. It is a dragon wrapped around a sword. I joyfully tell my parents and show them. They cry tears of joy with me. I get ready and head out to school. I still wear my scarf because it has become part of my image. The first few weeks I had worn my scarf, my best friends Juvia and Lucy kept asking why I was wearing a scarf. After about a month, they finally gave up.

I head to lunch after putting my books away. My mind wanders as I walk. I then bump into something solid and fall to the ground. "You lookin' for a fi- Oh, (name). You okay?" Someone says. I look up and find myself staring at the red eyes of Gajeel Redfox, captain of the wrestling team and my neighbor. His long black hair is as wild as ever. "Yeah. Sorry for bumping into you. I let my mind wander again." I say as Gajeel helps me off the floor. "You need to stop doing that. I don't think anyone likes gettin' bumped into." Gajeel tells me. "I'll try." I say. "Okay. See you on the way home," Gajeel says as he walks away, "Oh, and happy birthday, (name)." I smile.

I get food and then join my friends. "Hey, Juvia. Hey, Lucy." I call. They wave to me as I come over. Lucy Heartfilia and Juvia Lockser, my two best friends. We've been friends since middle school. Juvia used to not like Lucy because she thought Lucy was after Gray Fullbuster. Though, Lucy was always interested in Natsu Dragneel. But with a little help from me and the destiny tattoos appearing, they're now best friends.

"How are you, miss birthday girl?" Lucy asks. "I'm good." I reply. "No Natsu or Gray today?" I ask. "Gray said something that annoyed Natsu and they started fighting." Juvia says. "So, we told them to take their bickering somewhere else." Lucy adds. "So, I'm guessing they slinked away with pouts on their faces?" I ask. "Yep." Lucy replies, a smirk on her face. I sigh as I shake my head. "Honestly. The way those two fight, you would think they're brothers… Hopefully, they'll grow out of that." I say. Lucy and Juvia nod in agreement.

The wind is very strong as I start heading home. Suddenly, my scarf flies off. "Oh, no!" I start chasing it and then it gets stuck high in a tree. "There's no way I can get that. And that's my favorite scarf." I mutter. "(name)? What's the matter?" A male voice asks. I turn and find Gajeel. "Oh, Gajeel. My scarf flew off and got stuck in this tree." I say. "Oh. I'll get it down for you." Gajeel says. He then puts down his backpack and starts climbing the tree. Gajeel grabs my scarf and then jumps down. "Here you go." He says as he holds out my scarf. "Thank you." I tell him as I take my scarf. I wrap around my neck again, making sure it's secure this time. "You look pretty without the scarf." Gajeel says quietly. "What?" I say. He turns away, but not before I notice the slight blush on his face. "Never mind. Let's head home now." Gajeel tells me. "Okay." I respond.

We walk in silence for a little while. "Hey, I don't think I've asked before, but what does your tattoo look like?" I ask Gajeel. "I don't believe in all that… But I'll show you." Gajeel says. He slips off his jacket and tilts his head. I gasp. "What?" Gajeel asks. I slip off my scarf again and show him the right side of my neck. "We have the same one…" I say. Gajeel's eyes widen. "As much as I didn't want to believe in the soul-mate thing, I'm glad it's you, (name)." Gajeel tells me, his face almost as red as his eyes. "Thank you, Gajeel. That means a lot." I say. His face reddens even more. Then he gently grabs my hand, entwining his fingers with mine, causing me to start blushing.

We resume walking, our hands entwined. "What did you mean when you said you didn't want to believe in soul-mates?" I ask. Gajeel scowls slightly. "If you don't want to talk about it, that's fine." I tell him, squeezing his hand gently. "…Nah, you should know," Gajeel says, "You know my dad, right?" "Yeah. Though I haven't seen him lately." I say. "That's because he just up and disappeared a couple years ago." Gajeel tells me. "Oh! I'm sorry." I say. "What're you apologizing for? It's not your fault." Gajeel says. "Well, I asked the question." I tell him.

"Well, since you asked me a question, can I?" Gajeel asks. "Sure." I reply. "Why do you wear that scarf all the time?" "Well, I suppose it's only fair that I tell you. My destiny tattoo didn't appear until this morning." I tell him. "Oh…" Gajeel mutters. "Well, I found you, so it was worth the wait." I say, a huge grin on my face. Gajeel smiles back me.

 **-Twelve years later-**

"Silvia, Mercury, are you dressed?" I call up. "Yes, Mama!" Two little voices reply. "Good. Now please come down here." I say. "Comin', Mama!" My six-year-old daughter and five-year-old son come running down the steps. They gasp when they look at me. "What have I told you about running down the steps?" I say as I scowl. "Not to," the two reply meekly, "Sorry, Mama." My expression softens to a smile. "Apology accepted." I tell my children.

Then Panther Lily, our cat, comes bounding down the steps. He stops in front of me and yowls. "What happened to you, Panther Lily?!" I exclaim. The black round-eared cat has bows on his tail and his paws, and his claws are a bright hot pink. "Sorry, Mama. I wanted Lily to look pretty." Silvia tells me. I sigh. "Let's go clean Panther Lily." I say. About fifteen minutes later, Panther Lily is back to normal. "Don't do that again, Silvia." I scold. "Okay, Mama." Silvia responds. I kiss my daughter on the forehead. "Now, let's go surprise Daddy." I say. My children grin.

We walk into town and head to the mechanic's. "The wrench, I said!" A voice growls. "Sorry, Mr. Redfox." A teenage boy replies and then he scurries away. "Honestly…" Gajeel mutters. "Gajeel, don't be too hard on Romeo." I say. Gajeel turns around. "(name), Silvia, Mercury, what're you doing here?" He asks. "Don't tell me you forgot your birthday?" I ask. Gajeel blushes and sheepishly replies, "I did." "Daddy! Mama said we could get ice cream!" Mercury exclaims as he hugs his father's leg. "Did she now?" Gajeel says. "Yes, I did. I know you like ice cream, so I figured it would be a nice treat." I tell my husband. "But you should be resting!" Gajeel says. "The doctor did say some exercise would be good for me and the baby, just as long as I don't overexert myself." I respond, placing a hand on my pregnant belly. In a few more months, our newest family member will join us.

"Daddy! Ice cream!" Silvia says impatiently. "Alright, alright. Just give me a moment. I gotta send Romeo home and change my clothes." Gajeel tells our daughter. "I'll tell Romeo he can head home for the day. You go get changed." I say. "Thanks, love." Gajeel tells me and kisses my cheek. "You're welcome, dear." I respond.


	6. Rogue

**Rogue**

Today is my sixteenth birthday. As I have the past three years, I head to a mirror to look at my neck. I never expect to see a tattoo, that way I'm not utterly depressed when I don't see one. With my heart already heavy, I look in the mirror. But then to my surprise, there is a tattoo on the right side of my neck. It is a crescent moon. I joyfully tell my parents and show them. They cry tears of joy with me.

I head out to school. I still wear my scarf because it has become part of my image. The first few weeks I had worn my scarf, my best friends Levy McGarden and Yukino Agria kept asking why I was wearing a scarf. After about a month, they finally gave up. I sit in my usual spot in homeroom. The classroom is noisy with everyone's chatter. I'm listening to Yukino and Levy chatting. Their boyfriends sit next to them. Yukino's boyfriend is Sting Eucliffe who transferred to our school at the beginning of the school year. Levy's boyfriend is Gajeel Redfox, the captain of the wrestling team and my neighbor.

Mister Gildarts comes in. "Okay class, simmer down." He says. The room grows quiet. "We have a new student. He just recently moved to Magnolia." _Another transfer student?_ Then a guy with pale skin and black hair walks in. He stands next to Mister Gildarts and just stares at us. I notice Sting perk up a bit. "Well, what are you waiting for? Introduce yourself." Mister Gildarts tells the quiet teen. "I'm Rogue Cheney." The teen says. "Alright. There's an empty chair right there next to (name)." Mister Gildarts tells Rogue, pointing at the seat next to me. Rogue walks to the chair and sits. Mister Gildarts does roll call and then class starts.

School is done, but I decide to head to the library. "I wonder if there's any new fiction books." I mumble. I head over to the fiction section. "This looks like a good one." I reach up to grab it but then someone else grabs it. I look over and find Rogue. "Sorry, did you want this?" He asks. "No, it's okay. You can have it." I respond. He stares at me. "Not much for talking, are you?" I ask. "Nobody notices me often, so I don't talk a lot." Rogue says. "Well, would you like to chat?" I ask. A small smile appears on his face. "I would like that." He replies. We find a table and quietly talk.

I glance down at my watch. "Goodness! I'm sorry, Rogue. I need to start heading home." I say. "That's okay. Be careful on your way home." Rogue tells me. "I will. See you tomorrow." I say as I leave. I haven't walked very far from the school when my phone starts ringing. "Hey, Mom." I say. "(name), your father had an accident at work. He was taken to the hospital." Mom tells me. "What?! What happened?!" I ask. "I'm heading there now to find out what happened. I want you to head straight home, okay?" Mom says. "Okay…" I respond. I hang up my phone, tears spilling from my eyes as I do.

"(name), are you okay?" A male voice asks. I wipe my tears away and then turn towards the voice. "I'm okay, Rogue." I say. "You were crying," he says, "What's wrong?" The tears start creeping into my eyes again. "My dad had an accident at work and I don't know how bad it is." I reply, my voice breaking slightly. Suddenly, I'm wrapped up in Rogue's arms. "Don't hold back your tears." Rogue whispers. "Rogue…" I murmur. We stand there for a few minutes, his arms around me as I cry against his chest. I start pulling away from Rogue. "Thanks." I say. "You're welcome." He tells me. "I'm going to head home now." I say. "I'll walk with you." "No, I'll be fine." "My house is this way anyway." Rogue states. "Well, in that case… I would appreciate the company." I say.

"So, are you liking the school?" I ask. "It's not too bad. It hasn't been too much of a change." Rogue replies. "I notice that Sting seemed to recognize you." I say. "We lived in the same town and went to school together before Sting moved here because of his family. I moved here because of my father's job." Rogue tells me. "Oh. Well, at least you have someone familiar," I say, "I'm sure that will help you adjust." "Yeah," Rogue says, "Have you lived in Magnolia for your whole life?" "Yep," I reply, "I love it here. My parents and I would often travel during the summer. While I enjoyed visiting other places, nothing feels quite the same as Magnolia."

We finally arrive in the residential area of Magnolia. A little green cat with a frog-patterned collar cat trots up to us. It rubs against Rogue's leg. "Frosch, what are you doing out of the house?" Rogue asks as he picks up the small green cat. It stares blankly at Rogue. "You must've been wondering where I was. Sorry about that, girl." Rogue says, scratching the cat's head. "She's very cute." I say. Rogue smiles. "Yeah. I found her as a kitten wandering the streets. Since the day I brought her home, she's been my close friend." Rogue tells me. Frosch suddenly jumps over to me. Luckily, I catch the little cat. "Frosch must really like you. She'll rarely go to others, especially if I'm holding her." Rogue says.

Frosch bats at my scarf, pulling it off my neck. "Frosch, you silly kitty." I coo as I take my scarf back from the cat. "You have a moon." Rogue says softly. "Hmm?" I hum, looking at Rogue with confusion. Then I realize what he's talking about. "Oh! You mean the soulmate tattoo." "Yeah," Rogue responds, "I have the same one." My eyes widen. "You do?" I ask. Rogue nods and then pulls his shirt collar away from his neck. Etched into his pale skin is a moon identical to mine. "Can we maybe take it slow? I want to know you better before we start anything romantic." Rogue says. "Yeah, that sounds like a good idea." I respond, smiling. Frosch mews as if she agrees with our plan.

Then my cellphone rings. "Mom!" I say. "Your father is going to be alright. He has a broken arm but that's it." Mom tells me. "That's a relief." I say. "We'll see you when we get home." Mom says. "Okay," I respond, "See you later." I hang up. "Is your dad going to be okay?" Rogue asks. "Yeah. He broke his arm but that's all." I reply. "That's good. Hopefully he'll recover quickly," Rogue says, "I'll walk you home since it is getting late." "Thank you." I respond.

 **-Twelve years later-**

"Diana. Selena." I call. My five-year-old twin daughters come scampering into the kitchen. "Yes, Mama?" "Will you help me make the tsukimi dango for later?" I ask. My daughters' faces light up. "Yes, Mama!" The twins reply. Later that evening, I send the twins into the backyard to lay out the blanket. I head back into the kitchen and make onigiri, Rogue's favorite. I smile when I hear the front door open. "(name), Diana, Selena, I'm home." Rogue calls. "Welcome back, dear. The girls are in the backyard." I say as Rogue peeks into the kitchen. Rogue walks over to me and kisses me. "Happy anniversary, my love." He says. "Happy anniversary, dear." I reply.

"I made onigiri and the girls helped me with tsukimi dango." I tell my husband. "And how did that go?" Rogue asks. "We would've had more if they hadn't helped, but I enjoyed making the dango much more," I respond, smiling, "I made some more after sending the girls out to play." "How are you feeling?" Rogue asks. "I'm fine. Artemis has been kicking a lot though." I answer, rubbing my swollen belly. Rogue places his hand on my stomach. Our son kicks his father's hand and Rogue grins. Our twin daughters come running inside. "Daddy, you're home!" They exclaim, each hugging one of his legs. My husband chuckles and pats their heads. "Now that I'm home, why don't we see if we can catch some fireflies?" Rogue asks our daughters. "Okay!" The girls respond. "Grandpa Skiadrum, Grandma, and Grandfather will be coming soon. Uncle Sting and Aunt Yukino as well as Aunty Levy and Uncle Gajeel are coming." I tell my girls.

Rogue pulls out a couple plastic jars with tiny holes. "Come on, girls. Let's make some firefly lanterns." He says, guiding the girls back outside. I sit down and watch Rouge teach the twins how to catch the fireflies. Frosch jumps onto the table and sits down near me. I giggle when several fireflies land in Rogue's hair and the girls place their jars on his head. Rogue carefully help the girls keep the fireflies they captured on his head. Just as he does, more fireflies land. Diana and Selena move to do the same again, but Rogue stops them by tickling them. _I love this._ Rogue turns towards the window and smiles at me, eliciting a smile from me.


End file.
